Isle Royale Argumentative Analysis

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A remote island that has remained uninfluenced by humans is now on the verge of losing its wolf population due to genetic deformities. The island is called Isle Royale and its once abundant wolf inhabitants have now dwindled to three remaining wolves. This leaves many scientists and researchers with the question of what actions to take in order to save the wolves from extinction. After researching and gathering information, it is clear that the best way to save these wolves is for humans to immediately introduce more wolves to the island in order for the island to flourish, genetic variation to expand, and the number of wolf offspring to rise.

One of the main reasons this would be the best solution is because it would increase genetic variation. …show more content…

The article “Only 3 Wolves Left on Michigan’s Isle Royale” written by Keith Matheny quotes John Vucetich saying, “The three remaining wolves on the island are likely a mated pair and their offspring.” The article also implies that this family is in the same pack. This single pack could easily turn into multiple packs if we place more wolves on Isle Royale. The new wolves would increase the population, and if the population increases, more packs would need to form in order to divide the population into manageable …show more content…

One other contending argument is that since Isle Royale is a natural habitat, we should leave the island alone and let it run its course, even though the wolves might die out. This proposal would be inefficient and would only make matters worse. Wolves are the main predators of the many moose who occupy the island. If the wolves die out, the moose will thrive and overpopulate. Eventually, the extremely large population of moose could use up all of their available natural resources, causing the island to become vegetationless and the moose to starve and die because of the lack of resources. This is why wolves need to stay on the island to control the biotic community and environment.

As you can see, wolves are an important factor in the health of Isle Royale. Without them the whole island could perish. That’s why we can’t let them become extinct from the island. In conclusion, new wolves need to be brought to Isle Royale in order to repair the balance of the ecosystem and the overall well-being of the